Nebthet's 57g REEF-NEW Pix! 04-19-2011

[iglowce]

WOW.. 1 word WOW on the growth.. good job

[nebthet]

Thanks.. there have been some good times and some bad times with this tank, but one thing I have learned is that there is no one way to do things. Tap water works just as well as RO/DI, you just have more algae issues. If you can learn to combat that, anything is possible. Thanks for looking.

[nebthet]

Does anyone know the name of this acro? I can't remember if it is a tenuis or a type of tricolor.

 

 

This one is temporarily at the bottom of yhe tank until I find some decent reef glue as epoxy really sucks.

 

This one has stn in the front from the aiptasia I think. It could be something out but I cannot make out any bugs on it. The black dots on this one are where polyps used to be. The whole thing is also more of a red pink color than the beige tricolor it used to be.

 

The Red Monticap is growing nicely and even has good polyp extension.

 

rainbow monti starting to slowly color up. I will eventually put this higher in the tank.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please let me know what you think.

 

 

oh.. and my kitteh

[nebthet]

Pic update as it has been a few weeks since I have done one and I have one new piece of equiptment.

 

Blue Sps

 

True TriColor

 

Purple Carduus I think.. still not sure.

 

Red MontiCap.. this one is really growing now.

 

Green MontiCap with White Polyps.

 

Red and Purple Digis. These continue to grow. The tips on the Purple are splitting into branches now.

 

Green bottlebrush with Flash. More growth and new polyp sprouts.

 

Reddish tricolor and Blue tipped Tenuis are both growing, especially the tenuis. The stn on the tri has stopped and a ridge has grown where the tissue receeded. Polyps extension still good with this one.

 

The back side of the Blue Tenuis showing more of the growth. I really am beginning to thing magnesium is a big factor in sps growth since I have been dosing it.

 

Multicolored Chalice doing nicely.

 

My clam has moved slightly again, but seem much happier.

 

Pink eye zoas are happy.

 

Dragon eye zoas are growing like crazy as usual.

 

Right tank shot with my new piece of equiptment.

 

Left tank shot.

 

Omen is starting to develop more of his black coloration.

[nebthet]

Near end of the month pic updates and as you can see the SPS are still growing like weeds.

 

The one tip on this one rtn'd a bit after a hermit got up there picking at it, but has since stopped. It is growing out nicely now and coloring up to a nice purple more and more. I am still trying to determine what type of Acro this one is.

 

This Tru TriColor is still growing decently. It continues to encrust the base and I am hoping it completes it before the stupid holdfast epoxy decides to let loose.

 

The Red MontiCap is doing really nicely. It is twice the size as when I first got it and is about a week or two away from starting to encrust on the tonga branch end just behind it.

 

The Tricolor on the left is starting to show growth now. It has grown about 5cm in the last couple of weeks and it is coloring up purple on the tips.

The previously unknown on the right, is actually a frag of an ORA Joe the Coral. It took a while to determine it for certain as I was juggling between that and blue-tipped tenuis (which is the same thing, but with less white coloring).

 

The back end of the Joe the Coral and the Tricolor, showing more of the white on the Joe with the long branching that is happening.

 

The Digis are doing just fine and the purple you can see the new branching happening more now. I am hoping that a portion of one of these branches of both the red and purple chooses to encrust on one of the live rocks for more stability. I don't trust epoxy any more.

 

The Green Bottlebrush has now began encrusting onto the Tongan Branch, it is also continuing to grow quickly and the new branches are really taking off.

[systemtool]

Looks like everything is doing great in your tank! You are getting tons of growth it looks like. Are the peppermint shrimp going to town on your aiptasia or did you get them yet?

[nebthet]

Oops, sorry Systemtool, didn't see your post here til today. I have been busy doing a bunch of other stuff.

 

I haven't got the peppermint shrimp yet. I am waiting for my big pay to come in this week, and then I am gonna head up to Jims to get a much of stuff. I am really interested in the fact that he is getting ORA Deresa clams in and want to get one of those. I also am getting 4 peppermint shrimp to hammer the aiptasia, and I need to get a small emerald crab for the bubble algae. I took care of the big bubbles today.

[Jacobnano]

About time I wandered in here again! Looks awesome! All the growth is amazing! The clowns look much more mature! They are breeding????

 

You need to post a full tank shot, not two halves

[nebthet]

I was wondering when you were gonna visit this thread again. LOL.

The tank has come a long way and still has a bit more to go.

Big Momma and the Picasso are beginning to show breeding behavior. Going to different points of the tank and cleaning the surface areas. I am going to replace the pot in there with something a little bigger.

 

Yeah I know... sometimes I do a fts and sometimes I will do it in two.. it depends on how much detail I want to show. LOL.. I will take more pictures at the end of the month when I will hopefully have a couple more new additions.

[nebthet]

Time for a quick pic update.

 

zoas growing strong as usual and on the sandbed now.

 

Blue tipped Tenuis and Tricolor are both still doing well. Not as much growth over the last month, but I have done a water change and moved a couple of things so I think that did something.

 

Red MontiCap is now starting to adhere itsself on the tonga branch just behind it. Woot.

 

Omen

 

 

GSP and Duncans viewed from the left side of the tank.

 

Digis are growing like crazy. The red digi's one branch is growing in a more circular pattern which is kinda cool. The purple-tipped is growing new branches everywhere, as evident from the second pic which is a view from the left side of the tank.

 

The green bottlebrush is branching out nicely now.

 

Amd to make Jacobnano happy, a one image FTS. As you can see. I took out a couple small rocks and in return added one large, and might I say heavy piece of LR to the right side of the tank. I had this rock in a 10g tank in the kitchen with no light on it, hence why it is sooo white.

 

Finally, the newest addition to my home.His name is Orden.

[Jacobnano]

I was wondering when you were gonna visit this thread again. LOL.

The tank has come a long way and still has a bit more to go.

Big Momma and the Picasso are beginning to show breeding behavior. Going to different points of the tank and cleaning the surface areas. I am going to replace the pot in there with something a little bigger.

 

Yeah I know... sometimes I do a fts and sometimes I will do it in two.. it depends on how much detail I want to show. LOL.. I will take more pictures at the end of the month when I will hopefully have a couple more new additions.

 

Haha sorry been busy with school

 

Sweet! Seems like everyone is breeding now! <-Haha

 

As for the new pics, yay a FTS!!! About time haha. Everything looks good, that one white rock just needs time, you needs some more coral higher up too But wow everything is really growing!

[nebthet]

I plan on moving the K4 I have just sitting in there as a blenny hideout sometime soon. I have left it in there since it shorted so the juvi clowns have something to hide around when the other two get agressive.

 

The white rock in that position to will allow me to put some things on the edge higher up.

For anything else to go higher up though, I want to get the algae more under control first, and I am waiting for berghia nudibranches to come in in mid-july to help take care of the aiptasia issue. LOL.. That darn rock is about 6 pounds or so on its' own.. dang heavy. I had to ensure it was secure when I placed it there. Don't want it falling.

 

Hopefully in a week or so I will have some new live stock. My plans are to get another elegance coral for behind the left rockwork. There is a big space back there for shy fish to hide out if they want. I also want to get a deresa and maxima clams. A mate for my bengaii cardinal, emerald crab to help take care of my bubble algae that is growing. Then anything else that suits my fancy while I am there. LOL.

Time to add things while I have some money.

[Jacobnano]

Ahh cool. Yea that is neat the fish like using that as a safe haven!

 

Ahh cool. Haha you have been having algae problems too? I hate the stuff lol. I have bryopsis like you wouldn't believe, but now that school is out, I have a little more time for the tank. The thing is everyone wants to hang out with Jacob for some reason???

 

Another one?? Nice. I was looking at the mini ones a little while back, they sure are pretty. I love clams (ha)!!!! Def get some, in your tank, they will barely effect the calcium and alk too!

[nebthet]

I am doing pretty good on the aglae right now. With the help of the bigger clowns hosting it, they have pulled out a lot of the tendrils while sleeping in it, and I have been dosing magnesium in my tank at least once to twice per week to slowly bring the levels up. This really helped in a lot of aspects of the tank, because the sps really started growing when I did that. But after doing a water change a few weeks ago, the algae started trying to make a come back.. to be expected using tapwater. lol.

 

Yeah, I am finding that I really like the looks of clams and want to get a few more of them. A seller a few hours from me is getting in ORA Deresas, so I want to take a look at a couple of those and get one, but the maximas have more of my interest. In Canada we won't get as amazing colors as you guys get , but I have to get a decent looking one.

 

Don't complain, take all the attention while you can get it.. soon enough everyone may start ignoring you again.. which would suck.

[Jacobnano]

I have been doing the same thing! haha. No! Tap water is evil!

 

Ahh nice! Clams are pretty awesome. I want a maxima, but I keep seeing awesome ones, then they are less than 2 inches! Don't get a small one by the way, I am sure you know, but they have poor survival rates.

 

No no, it is more that last summer I wasn't as busy haha! Yea mostly my same group of friends keep doing things, I think it must be that we can all be menaces on the road now haha.

[nebthet]

Yes, tap water is evil, but I have been doing this tank on a budget and I have had a lot of success with Tap water despite what a lot of people say. I think it is a balance thing and just keeping a watchful eye on your system. Your corals will quickly tell you when something is not right.

 

I have gone through a good number of threads where I have seen people having issues with the smaller 2 inch clams. such a shame. retailers should know better. I usually like to get mine at 3 to 5 inches in size if I can.

I know my Crocea has been a pain sometimes. For some reason the only place it likes in my tank is on the sand bottom. No where else. So I gave up trying to put it on a rock. As long as it is happy I will compromise.

 

EEEk.. your driving now?? JK.

[Jacobnano]

Yes, tap water is evil, but I have been doing this tank on a budget and I have had a lot of success with Tap water despite what a lot of people say. I think it is a balance thing and just keeping a watchful eye on your system. Your corals will quickly tell you when something is not right.

 

I have gone through a good number of threads where I have seen people having issues with the smaller 2 inch clams. such a shame. retailers should know better. I usually like to get mine at 3 to 5 inches in size if I can.

I know my Crocea has been a pain sometimes. For some reason the only place it likes in my tank is on the sand bottom. No where else. So I gave up trying to put it on a rock. As long as it is happy I will compromise.

 

EEEk.. your driving now?? JK.

 

Yea that is true, I mean all your stuff is growing great with tap. Canadians must have good tap water haha...

 

Yea I dunno why they keep selling them, it bothers me. Haha nice! Mine I finally got to stay a couple months ago, and they have kinda stayed there lol.

 

Technically I can't, I was busy, and got my permit late, but my 6months will be up soon (period to have permit before you can get your license) so I can take the test.

[nebthet]

Well the one thing I do with my tapwater is store it for 24 to 48 hours before use and I also use conditioner to help with the heavy metals and chlorine/chloromine. It makes a difference.

 

I agree. I see them that small and I just shake my head. I watch a lot of what I purchase now and try to stear clear of LFS' and get my coral frags from other hobbyists. If it is a big coral I want I have the guy at the lfs put his hand in the water and wave over it to make it retract and see how it reacts. If it bounces back quickly with no signs of residual stress I go for that piece.

 

Nice.. we have a two year driving permit to license time frame before we can get ours. Such a pain in the butt.

[Jacobnano]

Well the one thing I do with my tapwater is store it for 24 to 48 hours before use and I also use conditioner to help with the heavy metals and chlorine/chloromine. It makes a difference.

 

I agree. I see them that small and I just shake my head. I watch a lot of what I purchase now and try to stear clear of LFS' and get my coral frags from other hobbyists. If it is a big coral I want I have the guy at the lfs put his hand in the water and wave over it to make it retract and see how it reacts. If it bounces back quickly with no signs of residual stress I go for that piece.

 

Nice.. we have a two year driving permit to license time frame before we can get ours. Such a pain in the butt.

 

Nice! We do that same thing with our FW tank

 

Cool cool. Yea having locals is handy, very handy. I dunno which is better a bad LFS or none at all? Then again you seem to know the right idea for when to support and when not to.

 

Ahh wow. Yea here driving isn't a big deal, but drinking is, it is kind of the opposite there, not as much as Europe but yea haha

[Nor_Cal_Cuber]

Tap water...eeeekk! Your algae will go way down if you switch.

 

On the other hand a phosphate reactor will work wonders on algae problems. If you can't afford one just get an old back pack, hollow it out and run some Rowa phos in it in a mesh bag.

[nebthet]

I have seen other people who use ro water and still have huge algae issues. I have been using a good combination of magnesium and phosguard and it is slowly going away.

I don't mind a little bit of it, but not all over the place smothering out corals.

[Nor_Cal_Cuber]

I have seen other people who use ro water and still have huge algae issues. I have been using a good combination of magnesium and phosguard and it is slowly going away.

I don't mind a little bit of it, but not all over the place smothering out corals.

 

This is true, however they may be over feeding, wrong light schedule, poor flow etc.

 

I tried to get away with tap water for a year, once I switched, I saw the difference and NEVER went back. The buffers in your salt even work better with RO/DI water because they are being delivered more effectively with less ions to compete with.

[nebthet]

I will have to save up and give it a try in the future then.

[nebthet]

Got some new stuff today and thought I would share.

 

Mini Sabae (~4" diameter). It will grow.. and I hope it likes it up in the right corner of the tank for now. I am hoping the juvi clowns will be hosted by it and get at least a little security there. It has a lot of room up there to expand as it grows and good gentle alternating flow.

 

Purple Tipped Elegance. This one, like my other, will take a few days to fully acclimate and expand in my tank. It is opening up as it is, which is nice. I considered getting the pink tipped one too but decided it would be better to wait.

 

Orange and Green Bali BTA. It is rather small ~2.5inch in diameter and was attached to one of my new clams when I got it. It came off when acclimating in the bag in the tank and so I placed it mid tank on the rock allowing it to get to an area with a little shade. Now that I don't have a stupid cleaner shrimp in the tank, I don't have to worry as much about having food stolen from it when feeding. (Hermits are easy to keep occupied elsewhere.I wish I could capture the true color on this one.

 

New Blue Clam

 

Maxima Clam

 

Bottlebrush again

 

Digi's. The purple one has colored up again and continues to grow.

 

CandyCanes

 

Dendros.

 

Rainbow Chalice, coming along nicely. I can't beleive the length of the feeder tentacles on this little thing. 2+ inches.

 

Tricolor continuing to grow, and while the Blue Tipped Tenuis slowed a bit, the polyp buds have been branching out more.

 

I still can't confirm what acro this is. It is nice though.

[nebthet]

Moved some of the new ones around today and took a few more pictures.

 

 

Blue Crocea: I moved this guy to the rocks in a split by the one tricolor I have. It seems much happier here. The pic doesn't do it justice. With full lights it looks more deep purple than blue.

Here is a pic without flash then with flash.

 

My ultra Crocea I got back in Oct.2009

It moved to the sand and it seems happiest there butted up against the rock.

 

Better pic of the pink rainbow chalice.

 

I moved the purple tipped elegance down to the sand beside my other elegance. I am hoping this one makes it. It is stressed out and hasn't expanded much yet. But there is no tearing on the sides, no brown jelly or strings coming off of it. It is just retracted most the time right now. When expanding, the tentacles appear long, not bulbous and the rest of the flesh doesn't puff up unnaturally. Yes, it is Indo and I am aware these ones don't make it half the time.

 

My GSP has finally attached to the rock behind it with the purple feather duster on it.. I eventually want to put one of my frag mags down there and it to encrust on that and then move it to the back wall of the tank to grow.

 

Peach Eyed Zoas

 

My Teardrop Maxima without flash (when you see it in flash it is orange).

 

The little sebae has settled down a little bit in it's place. Now comes the hard part and getting it back to health. After a lot of research last night on several sites these things are not naturally white or yellow in the wild, they are brown. They become this way when collected by the export companies by leaving them without light for a length of time causing them to loose their interal algae they need to live. This guy is a little more yellowish today than yestarday and I have him on the rock high in the tank under the direct light. I will be feeding it mysis shrimp every couple of days for a long while until it starts coloring up again.

 

My first ever frag of the Red MontiCap. It is just a tiny less than half inch piece right now, but am hoping for good growth. It has really colored up over the last 24 hours.

 

Xenia. I took a hammer to the rock it was on when I removed it from the tank so that I could move the xenia down to the sand of the tank. It seems it likes it alot better than being closer to the lights.

 

My juvi clown Omen (right) and Runt (left). They use the overhang cave now to hide when needed from the bigger clowns. As you can see they have the Onyx undertones to their skin, the black coloration just needs to come through. It is, just very slowly. I have heard from others it can take up to 18 months for an Onyx to get it's coloration. I believe it and I am thinking this rule comes into play when they are in tanks with other clowns. Otherwise if they were in their own tank they would color up faster. But that is just my theory.

 

New Front Tank Shot. As you can see, I took out the Koralia 4, the juvi clowns still have plenty of caves and powerheads on the other side of the tank to hide if they need to.